


King-napped

by UniquelyQueer_67



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: BAMF Merlin (Merlin), Canon Era, Drama & Romance, First Kiss, M/M, Magic Revealed, Murder, Rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-11-24 18:03:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20911838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UniquelyQueer_67/pseuds/UniquelyQueer_67
Summary: An atrocious pun that basically explains this whole fic.ORArthur gets kidnapped, Merlin rescues him with magic, now...kiss :3





	King-napped

The ropes cut deeply into Arthur's wrists as he struggled against the tree bark. He could not see his kidnappers' faces, dimly lit as they were by the Goddess' light. 

"The Crowned Prince…" mused the burly one.

"He'll fetch a mighty fine price." Hissed the scrawnier one.

"Teeth are a bit crooked, mind…"

"It doesn't matter! He's Uther's only heir, we'll get the ransom before you know it-"

They both began to chuckle with fiendish mirth. The awful noise made worse by the stillness of night that surrounded them.

Just then, a small crack echoed through the clearing, diverting the bandits' attention.

"Probably a deer," the little one muttered, "right, Reggie?-" he received no reply, "Reggie?" Then the bandit spotted the large mass on the ground next to him.

He fell to his knees to check on his friend, but before he knew what was happening, he too had collapsed. A slim dart stuck out of each of their necks.

Then, a small party of men entered the clearing, lead by Jarl, the slave trader from Cenred's kingdom.

"I knew my spies wouldn't fail me…" came his northern rasp, "Arthur Pendragon, in the flesh, tied up, all alone...must be my birthday!" His subsequent smile revealed rotten shards of black and yellow teeth. The shifting shadows of his armed grunts surrounded the clearing.

** _"Or your funeral."_ **

The voice came from nowhere and everywhere. It rumbled up through the layers of the earth, away from its fiery origins and surfacing only to serve the purpose of giving Jarl's men fair warning preceding their swift disposal. Three adjacent cracks sounded to Arthur's left, and three of Jarl's men fell to the ground, their necks broken. Jarl drew his sword.

Something emerged from the gap the three men had left. A figure cloaked in shadow, the owner of the voice.

"Who are you!?" Jarl demanded of him. The figure scoffed in response.

"I do not answer to slavers." He walked far enough into the clearing that he was facing Jarl, whose expression became even more enraged.

"What! You're just a boy! How did you kill my men!?" Although he sounded furious, the hands grasping the hilt of his weapon were white-knuckled and quivering.

"The same way I'll do this." He turned to face Arthur, and with that simple command, he stretched out his hand. His face was shrouded in darkness, but the light of the moon created a ghostly halo around his head. Suddenly his eyes glowed a sudden and brilliant gold.

Whenever Arthur imagined witnessing magic, he had always imagined it being terrifying and cold, like if an icicle fell off one of the castle gutters and impaled his skull. But this was nothing like that.

He could  _ feel _ the magic. It caressed his skin and bathed him in warmth. Where his leg had once had a stinging gash, the pain ceased and the wound healed, his bonds loosened and fell gently to the ground. The Prince was so distracted by the love and tenderness the magic held him with, that he only noticed Jarl's men be thrown against trees at the last second. Each and every one hit their obstacle with such force that they either died instantly, or were knocked out.

Jarl's petrified screams followed him as he retreated into the depths of the forest. Arthur dared to hope a Serket would sting him before he reached Essetir's borders. 

The magic still cradled him as Arthur's attention returned to the man before him. His face was still impossible to see, but his eyes now reflected bits of moonlight, and a strikingly familiar blue filled Arthur's senses. 

The warmth of the magic melted through his skin and spread through his every vein, until it reached his heart. Once there, it surrounded the organ and swathed it in something akin to a hug. Arthur had never felt anything like it, and as the feeling faded, and the magic reluctantly let him go, some lingered on his lips and made them tingle.

The man approached him carefully, and Arthur closed his eyes, protecting the man's identity almost on instinct. Deft hands cautiously helped him to his feet. They cradled him in just the same way that the man's magic had, and just as tenderly.

It all felt so overwhelmingly familiar, then a voice reached out to him. It was soft and understanding, so much power that the man wouldn't dare use against Arthur.

"Come on sire, let's go home."

The prince's resolve melted in the most pleasant way, and his eyes flew open to find the arm of his manservant.

Without a moment's thought, Arthur rested a hand on either side of the man's face and looked him in the eye.

The face he saw filled with terror, and bright eyes turned pale with dread. Tears began spilling over pointed cheeks and Arthur wiped them carefully away, gently shushing his manservant in an attempt to soothe. Eventually, the man's lips posed too much of a distraction and Arthur pressed them against his own.

The kiss was chaste and barely lasted five seconds, but Arthur had felt the air crackle around him. He had heard of electricity, but this was definitely something different, and not metaphorical.

" _ Merlin. _ " The name came out broken and desperate, Arthur's awe evident in only a word. Suddenly, blue eyes filled with swirling gold and light filled the clearing. Arthur never took his eyes off of the magician's face, which was even more beautiful in the light. That is, until he noticed movement behind Merlin's head. 

When Arthur looked around now, he saw the trees shed diseased bark and grow new,  _ vibrantly _ green leaves. Various wild flowers sprung from the grass, and blue butterflies emerged from behind the warlock. Finally, two doves landed gracefully on a nearby branch and cooed at each other, exchanging gifts.

"It's  _ beautiful _ ." Arthur gathered Merlin up into his arms and kissed the breath from him. Tongues tangled just as fervently as limbs, and the two became drunk on one another. Merlin especially seemed to like when Arthur ran his hand through the man's hair, if his desperate whimpers were anything to go by. And Arthur was surrounded by the warm blanket of Merlin's magic, and they were happy. Their passion became so potent, in fact, that Merlin  deliberately accidentally set fire to his bed roll.

They slept together that night - under the stars. Interpret that how you like.

**Author's Note:**

> Dunno, I was bored


End file.
